House Committee Reviews Plan to Extend FirstNet Emergency Network Through 2037
The House passed this bill on April 20, 2026, and it is now in the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. The Senate must review and vote on the bill before it can become law. It is unclear if the Senate will take action, as many bills passed by the House do not move forward in the Senate.
Scores run from -100 (strongly harmful) to +100 (strongly beneficial) for each group, combining impact, certainty, scope, and duration ratings of 1-5. How impact scoring works
The bill restructures FirstNet's leadership by removing its status as an independent authority and placing it under NTIA oversight. The existing Executive Director/CEO role is converted to an Associate Administrator position within the Senior Executive Service, and all major actions now require NTIA approval. This changes the working environment and decision-making authority for FirstNet staff, though the current leader can continue without reappointment.
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
The House fast-tracked this bill — limited debate, no amendments allowed, but needs two-thirds support to pass.
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
The House fast-tracked this bill — limited debate, no amendments allowed, but needs two-thirds support to pass.
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 7386.
House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Richard Hudson indicated that H.R. 7386, which extends FirstNet through 2037 and creates an associate NTIA administrator to manage operations, may see a full committee markup in March as lawmakers negotiate with public safety stakeholders.
The House Communications and Technology subcommittee approved H.R. 7386, which would reauthorize FirstNet for 10 years. The bill proposes moving the Authority from an 'independent' status to one requiring NTIA approval for major actions, while expanding the board's public safety representation.
An NTIA official assured Congress that the administration supports the reauthorization bill's shift of oversight to the agency but does not intend to interfere in day-to-day operations, addressing concerns from some public safety leaders about potential bureaucratic delays.
No votes or related bills recorded for this bill yet.
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
First Responder Network Authority Reauthorization Act of 2026
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